Pinstripes is usually where we think to get our bowling on, which is a little fancier than the bowling alleys I grew up going to and loving. It's also tough to get a reservation at Pinstripes, especially on a cold or rainy day. Fortunately, there's another solid option in the North Shore: Wilmette Bowling Center. This one reminds me of the bowling alleys I visited often growing up and again in college. I did bowl thru the years, although you would never guess based on my (lack of) skills. They don't take reservations so you have to take your chances that you may have to wait. My youngest attended a birthday party here recently and had a great time! It was busy with other people bowling on a winter day, but still felt like chaotic than pinstripes, which always seems crazy to me being such a big venue. He also seemed to enjoy the pizza. In fact, he told me he wasn't going to eat at the party because wanted to eat sushi with us after, but came home with evidence of pizza (and cake of course) all over his face because he said he couldn't resist it. read more

Which pizza is better, New York or Chicago? I grew up in Wilmette, but live close to NYC. Even bringing up the question sparks heat. If they ever have that contest between the two, Wilmette Bowling Center pizza can represent Chicago. The crust is to die for and the pizza itself is made to your specifications. I'd just let them pick for you if you're undecided on what kind to get. They take great pride in their pizza and it shows. This place should be on the National Register of Historic Places. It's old school style and history with all the modern amenities. You can't manufacture the vibe of this place. You can tell they take pride in it because it's spotless, the employees are responsive, accommodating and good natured. Definitely one of the unique cool features of the North Shore. read more

One of the best bowling alleys in the northshore! Staff is amazing and makes it feel like a family! Food is great! read more

Wilmette Bowling Center - lanes - Bowling Near Me - Wilmette, Illinois

My family and I recently discovered this gem of a bowling alley. It's small and cozy - like the old days!!! JP made our experience fabulous by playing great music and sharing stories. We continue to return again and again. My only concern is small children running all over not being watched by their adult. It's dangerous and I'd hate to see a child get hurt. GO GO GO. You will have the best time. read more

MANAGER/EMPLOYEE HAS MAJOR PERSONALITY PROBLEM. GO TO PINSTRIPES INSTEAD Scrolling through these reviews, it's affirming to me that others are experiencing similar levels of rudeness, miscommunication and overall horrid customer service from one male employee. Too bad because this has the potential to be a really nice local spot in Wilmette. Ran into similar issues with an employee named "JP". There is an appropriate way to give instructions, confirm parties, greet guests and solve problems on the fly. This guy is not equipped to do this. Our party of 9, confirmed many days in advance, received a phone call on the incorrect night of the party tersely asking why we weren't there. Our party coordinator/friend in charge called JP back and confirmed that he had the incorrect date and we'd see him that night. When we arrived, he was clearly agitated, asking us to "hurry up and bowl real quick" because he booked a large party of 60 last minute and they were coming in. Another group, with pizzas still on their tables, were asked to leave to make room for this party as well. They were milling about outside complaining, as we filed out the door and went elsewhere. I was kind of looking around for the camera crews because, seriously, I thought this was a staged prank of some kind. It was really that comical in a sad kind of way. Beware of booking ANY kind of event at Wilmette Bowl. And if you see a guy named JP (kind of longish, curly hair, really nervous type) run the other way. Or hand him a basic customer service manual. Or a referral to anger management classes. read more

It was a fun little bowling alley. Prices were a little high and the pizza was not anything to write home about. There wasn't much A/C. It gets hot in there real quick. However service was fantastic. read more

Would love to give this local spot no stars but that's not possible. Horrible service. We made a reservation secured with a credit card in advance and they did not want to honor it in favor of a large party. The way the manager talked to us as if we had made the error was obnoxious. Management is horrible. They were in the process of basically kicking out a party right as we arrived for our reservation. Will not go back unless there is new management. Never had such poor customer service. read more

Expensive.... That would lead to 3-4 star review. Not many balls to choose from. Most importantly the lanes weren't greased properly. My son typically bowls 200 but he gave up because he kept throwing gutters. My greatest success came standing as far left as possible and trying to throw gutters on the opposite side.... Without oil it'd catch and curve a lot. It was ok for a straight bowler. Do they ever grease the lanes? It was expensive. read more

I just love this place. So much history here. Not a big chain. You open the door and walk back into a time when life was simpler and kinder. It just feels like a home, a community. You can feel it with all the young people working there. They are just great. Smart and very attentive, trying their best to do whatever they can to help. OK, I'm old, but it's one of those things that makes you feel that the world is going to be ok with kids like this. And they've been working there for at least 3 years from what they tell me. How many teens work in the same place for 3 years, or come back from college to work in the same place? That says something about the management. I had a question about their pricing as the charge is $55/hr. In the old days, it cost $6/per person per game. Then, $2 for shoes. So, $8 per person per game. That would be $32/half hour for 4 people. But, they are charging $27.50 for a half hour. That's actually cheaper if you do the math. Way back in the late 1950's my older brother was a pinsetter here before they had the machines to set the pins. One of his jobs was cleaning the sticky grease off the tables, railings and bowling balls from all the food people brought in. So there's that as a reason to ask people to not bring food in. (That's my same brother who dated Ann Margaret who used to live above the bowling alley!!!) So, it's a funky place with lots of memories for me. If you want that special sparkling new mall feeling, then this is not your place. If you want some atmosphere with everything you need, it's great. I'd love to be there for the Big Labowski Tournament. Anyway, for my taste: 5 Stars. read more

We tried calling for about a week to see about having my son's birthday there. I finally just went in. The woman at the front was perfectly warm and helpful - but the guy I had to talk to to plan and book was awful. They have rules, which of course they're entitled to have. But he was explaining them to me as if he already knew I was going to be mad about them or try to break them. And even after telling him I didn't need to know why his rules are his rules (I trust your judgment, guy - I just want to see if I can have 12 people here to bowl one night in a couple weeks), he explained anyway. 1 - no goodie bags because they don't want to be the "goodie bag police." With "things like caramels and toffee that can get into the machines," yada yada. (Honestly, I didn't care. My kid is 14, we're not doing goodie bags, guy! Move on!) 2 - only 3 things are allowed: (1) Cake, cupcakes, or donuts, (2) Helium balloons "that float," and (3) a plastic table cloth "that says happy birthday" (I almost asked him what if it says "congratulations" just for entertainment because it was already such a ridiculous conversation ) 3 - "bowling is an adults' game -- how old are these kids?" 4 - "You're getting charged for 2 lanes no matter what. A lot of people try to get around the cost by saying they only need 1 lane, but you're getting charged for 2." (I'm not gonna try to fleece you, guy. Calm down - I'll pay for both lanes.) Then he wanted to know if I was ready to book. I asked if there was a better way to get a hold of them once I was ready to confirm -- that was a mistake. I got a whole lecture on how many phone calls they get a day and of those calls, how many leave voicemails. But each time I'd say "is there a better way to reach you," he'd say "just call us!" like I was an idiot for thinking that wouldn't work ‍‍ I suggest they make a switch to just 1 rule: We don't do birthday parties. If you're going to be that unpleasant explaining all the restrictions around giving you the business I'd like to give you, then I'll do you what seems to be a favor to you (?) and not give you the business. #thanksanyway read more

My son had a small birthday party last night at the bowling alley. The manager JP and two staff members were more than accomodating to myself and my guests who were there. They were on top of everything; from making sure the pins were reset when there was an issue to reminding me when to order the pizzas and more. They even supplied paperware as I had forgotten some! Thumbs up for this place! Highly recommend! read more

I do not feel super compelling to write reviews very often, but this one is one I feel I absolutely must make to prevent anyone who is serious about bowling from making the mistake I just made. This place is not a place for serious bowlers. It is not a good place to practice. It is not a good place to bowl. It is not a good place for anyone who is trying to work on their game in any way. It is probably a good place for kids birthday parties and people just blowing off steam after work, but that's about it. Lets start with the prices. I showed up around 3pm. The lanes were completely empty. The person at the counter gave me a long speech about how they're renting me the lane so they don't care about how many games or bowlers I have. Its 55 dollars for an hour and 27.50 for a half hour pro rated to how long you actually bowl. Ok, I say. So when does it start, from when I throw my first ball? No, it starts when you tell them you're bowling because that's the point at which you start "taking up a lane that we could rent to someone else." he again told me with a straight face in his completely empty bowling alley at 3pm on a friday afternoon. "If you stay on the lane after you're bowling we have to keep charging you because you're taking the lane from other people." I again looked around trying to find these mythical other people. This pricing structure makes sense when you've got a small alley (and it is quite small) during peak times. It does not make sense when you're completely empty to charge peak rates and say its because you cant rent the lanes out to others. I was told ball and shoe rental was included in this but obviously I already have my own ball and shoes. Lets get to the lanes. The lanes are bad. I don't mean bad in the sense that the oil pattern has been worn down a bit or whatever, I mean they're bad in the sense that there was not oil on them at all. My ball started hooking as soon as I released it and went straight into the left gutter. The only way I could consistently hit anywhere near the pocket was by standing off the lane on the left and trying to throw the ball directly to the right gutter. It was not acceptable. No one can actually bowl under these conditions if they're actually serious about it. Again, maybe this is good for kids parties with gutter guards but for anyone who puts any spin on their ball at all and anyone who is actually trying to bowl as a competitive endeavor, its just not useable. Then, when I went to pay I got up to the counter and though I had bowled for 24 minutes (3 games going as fast as I could because I just wanted to get my release practice out of the way as fast as possible and get out of there) he tried to charge me for a full half hour and seemed completely baffled when I told him that this wasn't correct by his own asinine pricing structure. I will not be coming back. I suggest that all serious bowlers go literally anywhere else. This place is for kids parties and nothing else. If you don't want gutter guards and rock and glow ambiance, do not go here. read more

I took my whole family there for an outing for fun and enjoyment and had a great time. The support staff is wonderful. The pizza was good. It was a great place for family and kids to spend their time. I highly recommend it and we'll go there for parties and birthdays a lot in the future. If you want a good time with the family, that's the place to go! read more

Wilmette Bowling Center - WIlmette Bowl! - Bowling Near Me - Wilmette, Illinois

Not open the hours posted on web. Paper on front door lets you know when you can bowl.

We like this place. It has been a community staple and good family fun for years. Good beer list, nice people and pizza. We went back post-pandemic and were charged $75 for 1.5 hours of bowling for family of 4... and that's before pizza, pop and beer. Maybe it's memory, but we spent 1/3 of this amount pre-pandemic. Not sure what else has changed. We're supportive of local business so we'll go back at some point just not as often. So, make sure you budget appropriately and align on rates up front before joining in the fun. read more

Don't even know where to start with this place. I called in advance to make sure they had lanes available. Instead of yes or no, I get the hours of operation and how those hours can change because of the time of year and everyone is outside golfing and swimming and not inside bowling and blah blah blah. I assume it was the manager I was talking to. When my friend and I arrive my friend is eating from a travel size bag of cookies. The manager is coming out as my friend is going in. Instead of politely saying you can't bring food in, he sarcastically says "I know what you're about to do with that. You're going to throw it away because you can't bring it in inside". Then proceeded to stand and watch my friend eat the cookies to make sure he didn't bring them inside. The place is dated. We were the only people there and still managed to get a lane that didn't work. And how can I forget the cherry on top: $55 for an hour of bowling! Ridiculous! I don't know how this place is still in business. The worst. read more

Their. We pricing structure is just insane. It's a shame, I miss the old school bowling alley, but it's priced itself out of enjoyment.

It is small 8 or 10 lanes place. Perfect for my kids to run around. They had glow in the dark action so they were very excited. We will be back read more

Remember the days of the bowling alley when you were a kid, except without all the smoke. This is it. It has the out there drawings/graphics. Overpriced food. Bad seats that only turn one way. Weird lightning. Shoes that someone else has worn-a lot! There were people of all ages. Kids under 5 with the bumpers. Adults...with the bumpers. Ha! Teenagers. A place for all to hang and have fun. Some of the computers were broken. Not ours. Thanks goodness. If it was, I would have no idea how to keep score. The ball choices were plentiful. Shoes were...groovy. We reserved a lane ahead of time. Good idea on our part. No waiting involved. There is street angled parking right out in front. One thing is different-price. Bowling has gotten expensive. Not just here. Don't expect prices from 20 years ago! read more

The bowling alley is small but nice inside. I thought it was strange the the food and drinks that they were selling were with the bowling shoes unless thats normal. The guy behind the desk or counter. I think was really annoyed when i asked a simple question how to score since the electronic scoreboard wasn't working. The other unfortunate thing is that i think he's the only employee there. I'm guessing hes the owner. read more

Got our kids all excited for bowling, showed up at 2:00 on a Friday, and the doors were locked and lights off. Yelp and Google say it should be open. Super bummed! read more

Perfect place to spend an afternoon alone, with friends, with fam, or with a big group. Have been there for private parties (perfect size for maybe up to 50-75(?) ) and in all cases it's just chill with good beer and other beverage options at the back - the vibe is positive and everyone had fun. Can BYO catering and music if arranged. read more

Family own operated! Great customer service. I wish food menu will have more variety.

THE STORY OF HOW I STARTED ARCHERY. This place is AWFUL. I walked in and there wasn't a line. HOWEVER, there was nobody at the front desk. The grumpiest old dude comes up, and complains "what do you want." Definitely not how to talk to customers. While he searches his janitorial closet for a size 9.5 shoes, I see a really cheap plastic ring on the ground. I pick it up, look at it to see if it could possibly be someone's, but I set it back down on the floor. It must've been from a kid. The old guy whips around and raises his voice. "PICK UP WHAT YOU DROPPED AND GIVE IT TO ME." By now I am completely furious. Complete joke of a center. I went to bowl and the lanes had no oil. They were plywood and awful. DO NOT bring your own bowling balls here. THE MACHINES WILL SHRED THEM. The bumpers were up, so I called for the guy to put them down. He said to kick them, but if I broke it that the replacement cost would be $300 out of my pocket. Ridiculous. I bought pizza, and the pizza was hideous. The scoring machines don't work, nobody has bowling etiquette, meaning a group of 6 year olds will run in front of you while you bowl. I saw an archery ad on my phone because I had to keep score on it. I reserved a spot there and went the next day. So. Much. Fun. WILMETTE BOWL IS AWFUL. AWFUL STAFF, AWFUL LANES, AWFUL TIME. DO NOT COME HERE AT ALL COSTS. read more

or "Blesser's Bowl" as I grew up knowing it. Back then it was a great old neighborhood bowling alley. Not fancy. 6 lanes or so. Went there for birthday parties as a kid and visited during high school to relieve the suburban boredom. The current owners revamped the place. Sporting new Brunswick computers and lanes, even cosmic bowling on weekends! I can't remember the prices, but I'm sure they are competitive. Support local businesses! read more

Rude.... whoever answered this place of business calls is very unprofessional.. I called to inquire about the bowling cost and the man says, same as every weekend, etc etc... thanks for your rudeness and I will not be spending my money here.. read more

Went there two days ago on a rainy day from Lincolnwood. It takes me 25 minutes to arrive. I called but nobody answered. Wanted to talk with somebody for my child's bday party, make the long story short, Tylor told me we are out of brochures, give me your info I'll call u around the afternoon. And he never did. It's very irresponsible when someone waiting for an answer and u don't respond. I wanted to give them business not bad thing. read more

The staff at the Wimette Bowling Center made my kids birthday party a hit! The birthday package we went with was an hour and a half with pizza, soda, and included paper plates and cups. They let us arrive early so we could get set up. They had 2 tables for our cake, water, fruit/veggie trays and presents brought for the kids. They set up another table for the pizzas and sodas. We had an hour and a half of bowling with about 5 kids max per lane. It was really fun watching them get into bowling. Actually, I initially thought they would shut the lanes off after the first hour was up, but they allowed us to continue because the kids were having a blast. They even shut the lights out, put on some funky music and did the whole cosmic bowling thing for the last 30 min, which got the kids really hyped up! It became a real party then! Overall, it was a fantastic time and I look forward to going bowling more with my kids and friends here in the future. read more

Wilmette Bowling Center - a young boy playing a game of bowling - Bowling Near Me - Wilmette, Illinois

I called ahead of time and asked if there was open lanes they said yes... I get there and there is a party from hell running around the whole bowling alley. The kids were running on the lanes stealing balls and screaming the screaming.... I understand the parents should have controlled this but I should have been warned that there was a kid party. Its a good ally other than that read more

We decided to have my son's 7th birthday party here because it was close and fun and neighborhood-y. We figured it would be a good place for a bunch of first grade boys. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect from this place based on the ratings. It seems like some people love it...and some people really don't. But we had so much fun! Yes, the place is on the small side, but we had plenty of room--even with six kids to a lane. The people working were really nice and friendly, even when the kids (and my husband, ahem) accidentally threw two balls down the lane multiple times (which makes the machines stop and reset). The staff also knew exactly what we needed for the party: tables were already set up and they checked in with us multiple times to see if we needed anything. Overall, we had a great experience. The kids had a good time. The place is cozy and cute. The staff is competent and friendly. The whole experience really surpassed my expectations. read more

Went there today for my grandson's birthday party. Very impressive. The place was clean,with up-to-date equipment, and a very helpful staff. All the children had a great time bowling and eating pizza. I did not know this place existed until today but I would recommend it for parties. read more

As their website recommends, I called to see if they'd have open bowling this weekend. Someone answered (who I assume is an owner) and seemed extremely daunted by the question. She said they would be closed on Saturday for 'the holiday,' which the whole country celebrated 3 days ago, but that's fine. When asked if they'd be open on Sunday she seemed annoyed, and couldn't give me an answer. I was told to call back on Saturday or Sunday to find out. What?? I was excited to support an interesting local business but, based on this one odd interaction, I will not be going to Wilmette Bowling Center. It was so off-putting and their customer service was completely horrendous. Apparently, they get all the business they need and don't care about word-of-mouth advertising. read more

Overall pretty good! Quaint and charming. One of the lanes didn't work and our lane constantly had issues. The staff out the counter seemed were a little quick short with us and generally disinterested. However, we had fun. It just depends on the company you bring! I wish the prices were listed on the website because it was our first time there and we were a little unprepared! read more

I called in the early afternoon to ask if there were leagues or if they planned on being busy about 3 hours from then, I was told they were 'dead'. When we arrived there were two birthday parties going on. The wait was very short though (15 minutes, and I had to ask them when I saw 3 empty lanes). The 3 of us played 1 game, we left for the bathroom once. While at the bathroom, the employees tried taking bowling items from our station (the bowling ramp that was set up). During the game the balls got stuck twice and the computer froze once. We didn't want to stay for another game. The staff weren't friendly and the facility seemed old and in need of repairs. It isn't exactly cheap so people may as well go to pinstripes. read more

Such a cute bowling alley! My son and I try to find new bowling alleys all the time and by far this has been our favorite one! We will be back for sure! Thanks for the great service! read more

I had a party there for our friends and they were terrific. They were all on top of getting the food out we wanted and making sure the adults were served well. Its not the flashyest place on the planet but if you want to bowl and have a good time beats spending 4x as much as another place that shall not be named in the area. Give it a try! read more

Fun and affordable way to spend an afternoon or an evening. Though it's not publicized, you can BYOB as long as you're paying to bowl. The place is decidedly retro, which makes it more awesome. Plenty of parking lot parking and a short drive from Northwestern. read more

Upon first sight, we were a bit skeptical of this place. First of all, they didn't sell beer but were kind enough to let us take beer in (is this even legal?). If you like NSync and the Backstreet on repeat, this place has your name written all over it. The service was solid, but one of the employees was rather creepy. I'd recommend bringing a 12 pack of beer, but make sure not to give it to one of the 25 minors that are likely bowling there. The place was small....only 14 lanes....but very clean. The bathrooms were exquisite. Overall, it was a relaxing place that was somewhat cheap (5 bucks a game). If you can get past teeny bopper music and creepy employees, this place may be for you. read more

Incredible experience with our two young girls. It was our 1st visit the girls had fun. David saved the day twice and really understood family bowling. I will recommend to all my friends with and without children. read more

Cash only, but no ATM onsite. I had to carry my 3 yr old three blocks away in 5 degree weather to get cash from a bank. Ridiculous. When I returned, I told the lady working there that I was shocked that they didn't have an ATM and not happy about my trek to the bank - she said "ah, okay" and then answered a phone call and tried to take our shoe orders at the same time - and had the nerve to looked frustrated with me. Then the computer wouldn't work at our alley she assigned us. Little did she know that we were there to scout the place for a birthday party in January. Let me assure you, we will be hosting it somewhere else! read more